Knology ‘rightsizing’ in Lawrence

Knology of Kansas Inc. revealed plans Wednesday to eliminate a variety of jobs at its Lawrence operations during the next three, six, nine and 12 months.

The “rightsizing” initiative is designed to best serve the communications company and its cable television, Internet and telephone customers in the near and long terms, said Tony Palermo, a vice president and spokesman for Knology Inc., the company’s Georgia-based parent.

“We’re always going to keep a very strong local presence,” Palermo said.

Employees learned of the changes during individual meetings Tuesday, less than two months after the company purchased Sunflower Broadband in a deal valued at $165 million.

When Knology took over ownership from The World Company, Sunflower had 200 employees working to provide services to more than 33,000 customers for video, 28,000 customers for Internet and 15,000 customers for telephone in Douglas, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties.

Palermo declined to discuss the number of employees told that their jobs would be eliminated but noted that all would be eligible and encouraged to apply for some of the more than 80 open positions with other Knology systems elsewhere. Affected employees have been offered severance packages.

“Not as many people will be required in the Knology of Kansas call center because those calls can be routed to one of the other two call centers,” Palermo said of Knology sites in Georgia and South Dakota.

Left unaffected are sales personnel, installers, and maintenance and service technicians, he said.

The company also plans to promote growth in its original programming, including 6News and other local shows, Palermo said.

Well, I had speculated that he sold it to focus on, and save, his core business -- the LJW and its printing operations for others (USA Today, Kansan, etc.). But the LJW keeps getting smaller; I hope it can survive! An active free press is a vital part of any democracy.

The World Company has let down Lawrence, but this is what the world is coming to. Everything these days is a business decision, with little to no regard for the rank-and-file employee.

I blame this on The World Company, not Knology. Knology can hardly be blamed for wanting to consolidate its customer service operations. The real villain here is/was The World Company. Dolph Sr. would be thrilled.

You realize exsunemp didn't list off all the groups laid off today and more are coming tomorrow. What does the percentage matter anyways. That is 50 plus people without a job soon in today's world where jobs are nonexistent... especially in Lawrence..

I was referring to information that I received from a source outside of the newspaper actually. Knology has been very secretive about the numbers with the media, but in reality, the people who found out today that they will no longer have a job with the company come the end of May make up over half of the company.

Grown up Manda! This was a business decision and it makes sense (that's $'s and cents) to consolidate. Unforturately, it probably won't mean better customer service. Customer service takes a back seat to marketing in this and the satellite tv industry.

The actual "right-size" is Knology eliminates All of their Customer Service department except for a few (single-digit) persons for their front counter, all but two of their finance department, part of their Business department, all of their Network Operations Center, select other marketing and advertising personnel, all but a few in their Engineering department. Many others received demotions. I am not sure of the exact count but that's approximately 50-60+ Lawrence workers (plus their families). And 6News is only expected to be in place for one year. That was today, more right-sizing tomorrow.

This article reads like Knology press release - full of corporate weasel-speak. Tell it like it is - a formerly local business is laying off a huge number of people. It's not "rightsizing" - it's a massive layoff that affects dozens of lawrence families. It is certainly not surprising but nonetheless I bet you none of the laid off employees - which include your friends and neighbors - are happy about being sold down the river.

No U-Verse around here. I went to the AT&T site, and started typing in addresses of people I know. Out of twelve different addresses in town I thought of off the top of my head, exactly one qualified for U-Verse. Not moving fast.

Lots of competition for TV. I have a good old fashioned antenna. Internet, not so much. No CWC available here. No U-Verse. Sunflower or DSL. And since I hate looking over my shoulder on bandwidth caps (not that I generally use that much), have seen that Palladium speeds are atrocious, and hate the excessive surcharges for not buying cable TV, DSL is it. Whee, 5Mb. Welcome to 2003.

We had Uverse until last week. Finally got fed up with the set top boxes freezing, horrible pixelization, quirky DVR functions, but mainly the freezing set top boxes which we had all had replaced at least one time. At least 2x a week we would have to go around and cycle the Residential Gateway, the main STB, and then the outlying STBs just so we could watch TV again. Huge hassle.. Glad they are gone!

U-Verse is very quirky depending on the distance you are from their central switch and the quality of the lines running to your house. If you have a good signal, you are golden, but if you are on the edge, it can be very inconsistent. AT&T is supposed to test for line conditions before doing an install - they may have failed to do this properly for you!

PS - Just a word of warning, Mark Antony's gonna turn his back on you the minute he gets a chance.

The Journal-World and other newspapers are suffering from the increased competition from the internet. We've learned to expect immediate information, which newspapers cannot provide. They print yesterday's news, which is history by the time it hits the streets. The LJW will have to rely on its website more and more in the future. The cash influx that resulted from selling Sunflower Broadband will keep newspapers in Lawrence for a few more years.

This is correct. The 6News staff is employed by Knology and no longer operates in partnership with LJWorld and The World Company. There are still some crossovers (i.e. their website is hosted within LJWorld.com) but that will be wrapped up over the next few months at the latest.

Sunflower customers, better get ready--the next 'rightsizing' is going to be your monthly bill....it will get bigger, not smaller. Staff reductions only go so far to pay off $160 million laid out for the franchise.

I'm not saying that what happened is right or good by any means, but at least from what I hear. A lot of these people get to keep their jobs through the holidays and will be offered severance packages. I can honestly say (from experience) that it's not how similar situations are always handled.

We lost our locally owned radio station. I cannot listen fast enough to hear the news sound bites on the new franchise station, and I miss the music. I quit listening.

Now, we are losing our newspaper. I would quit reading, but I really would like to keep up on local news. I seldom agree with Simon's editorials, but he adds local character which I do appreciate. I would rather read Dolph's editorials than a generic anywhere newspaper.

Now our news will be homogenized, pasteurized, and digested before we get it.

WOW! You are wrong on so many levels. The newspaper didn't sell...Dolph's editorials will still run. Interestingly, any time Sunflower made cut backs the newspaper didn't feel a need to run an article about it but now that they are no longer the same entity the World Co. feels the need to take the first opportunity to run a dirty laundry piece on the new owners.
As for the radio station...Hank Booth is still there, isn't he? Sooooo...the former local owner is still on the station. What news are you missing? Don't they still have local news in the morning?
In both cases, TV and radio, I'm sure there are still neighbors working at both places, pulling a paycheck that then goes to buy groceries and goods from local retailers. Sorry, but I disagree that these places are no longer local.

You're right about that. Some of the posts above threw me off. I realized it after I signed off. I do not agree that KLWN is the same, though. Not by a long shot. While Sunflower was a monopoly of sorts, it was local and did a good job. I hope the jworld does not follow.

I think before we all panic we should wait to see what happens. Our bills could actually go down. They are a bigger company with the ability to negotiate on behalf of several markets versus one market like Sunflower.

I also continue to hear that Channel 6 is not going away. We for the first time have two news sources and maybe just maybe get some good reporting versus one company controlling the message like it has been in the past.

Yes it was a secret, just found out as i was starting my shift today, Going to make it tuff to find something new, this close to holidays. We all knew it was coming so WE as soon to be ex employees should have better prepared ourselves, and dont let the severance package fool ya, its not that great :(

The best way to increase profits and decrease costs (and, potentially, to lower costs to the consumer) is to let people go when you can do so. The main reason why this purchase made sense was because they would be able to reduce the workforce.

If TWC had purchased Knology, they would have slashed jobs at Knology in the same way and none of us would have given a crap.

It's bad for those who are losing jobs, but it's potentially good for those who complain about the high cost of services.

"Right-sizing" is the correct way to see this. Why keep redundancies in place? It's sad for those losing their jobs (and maybe their homes, etc,), but it is the only correct business decision to make in this situation. The timing sucks.

That thinking got us all into this financial mess not seen since the great depression. As long as it's someone else's home, who cares? We need to.

Layoffs in town mean less income to spend in town, less income to spend means merchants don't need as much staff, causing more layoffs.

There is nothing "right" about this and redundant (while I know is a british term) is incredibly offensive. Nobody working there is redundant.

The timing was wrong: so close to the holidays and so soon after the buyout. The concept was wrong: claiming it was about buildout and expansion and DEDICATION to customer service when none of these items were on the agenda. Finally it's wrong because it's at a time when they are facing heavy competition from AT&T and Netflix/hulu. They need to be building goodwill to retain customers. These actions will turn away customers...leading to more layoffs and further hurting the local economy.

"A sale of Sunflower Broadband to another entity such as Knology will have profoundly positive impact in our community"

"Our local economy will benefit"

" Massive layoffs combined with money being sent outside the community will hurt Lawrence. I think the opposite will happen. As stated earlier, Sunflower is an outstanding company with good employees. Its people are what make Sunflower what it is. Knology wouldn’t be interested in the company if it weren’t for that strength. You can’t buy the milk without buying the cow, and the employees that produce Sunflower’s product."

"For the record, I should say I do have a vested interest in one aspect to this buyout. My business obviously competes with Geeks on Wheels."

How do you feel now that you know Knology isn't getting rid of Geeks on Wheels?

I see your condolences in this thread as crocodile tears. Please spare us.

Thanks for linking back to my article and following my blog. Actually I didn't know about the Geeks on Wheels situation and neither did this article. Thanks for sharing your inside information on this for the rest of us. I also will be blogging about my thoughts on this issue, but I was clearly wrong about the impact.

All of your comments are on point regarding this matter. The only thing I would add is the timing comment. There is really no good time to loose a job, it sucks whenever it comes unless you were looking for a way out.

Its business folks, nothing more, nothing less. Business is about making money. Its been going on forever and will continue to do so. Cost containment is one of the key ingredients to making a profit. Knology has to maintaing their competitive edge in a very competive business. Their prices will be in line with the industry as they must protect their market share. I say watch and wait. If you don't like it there other players waiting to help you.

Just stop watching television. I gave it up three years ago and can't tolerate it at all now when I run into it. It's really very liberating once you get used to it.
Besides, "Knology"?
My god, what a STUPID name. I can't express how much I hate it.

Are you sure you are clearly aware that all of Sunflower’s employees are your neighbors and hometown caregivers, and they are now mostly unemployed? Are you aware that Sunflower was a leading employer of your friends and neighbors, and no longer will be? Do you not understand the impact of this on your local economy? …Should an out-of-state corporate company also purchase the Merch before you realize? By the way, it would be a first but no one ever stopped a community from starting their own cable collective – maybe from complaining you could start acting (never heard of it but it could be a start).

I say this as a recent “ex” Sunflower employee that did understand the true values as providing such services to the community. I say this also understanding the measures and needs of the community’s needs of broadband company. Yes, Sunflower was out to make money but also sacrificed much to model to the direction and desires of the community.

I’m sorry… Complain about your award-winning video, complain about your overage for downloading music illegally over your award-winning data service, complain about proven-reliable award-winning phone service but the fact is three options. 1) you obliviously love it and cant move away, 2) you moved away but moved back. 3) you moved away and you can’t move back.

Now say what you will but a giant piece of your local workforce with their advanced expertise are now unemployed, what do ‘you’ want to do? There is no other “local” business in Lawrence that can truly absorb its staff let alone its award-winning talent.

So really, I post on this discussion as a “former” member of Sunflower but barely see myself as biased due to what I know what has been “giveth” to Lawrence and now is “taketh” away.

So now if anyone where to dispute the many changes regarding the company, the personnel, the local economy, the service quality, the service price, the anything now is your time to speak on your own. Keep in mind CATV did stand for “Community” Antenna Television, hence the “Community”!

the only thing I have against your post is that it isn't people "illegally" downloading music that caused going over the complete B.S. limits Sunflower has. I have never in my life illegally downloaded anything, but ended up switching away from their broadband service because those limits meant I couldn't download LEGAL concerts, taped with band's consent, and fully LEGAL to download for my pleasure. And I didn't have to download much to be in trouble with Sunflower. There are tons of bands that allow fans to tape and distribute shows.

I'm sorry you lost your job and I am very unhappy about Knology, but you shouldn't speak ignorantly about people that you supposedly used to serve. I stuck with Sunflower for cable and phone because it was supporting the community. Just wasn't putting up with paying high prices for internet, then being told I couldn't even download a few full concerts a month without paying extra.

Welcome to the world the rest of us in Lawrence deal with. It's called commuting. We'll see you on the highway soon.

Can't wait for Time Warner or someone else to get into our market so we can start to actually get some better channels for a change.

We can all say what we want about Knology but The World Company knew what would happen when they sold. They choose the company. They knew it would be a strong possibility this would happen. This is the company that is local but decided to sell to a out of state company. At least Knology gave the soon to be ex employees something. This would have been less if it had been The World Company. They also have been laying people off as recent has last week. The difference is the Knology employees knew it could happen and have at minimum 3 months to still work, The World Company let people go that day with a few weeks of a severance package. Much less than what Knology is doing.
Again, Knology still employes local friends and neighbors we can't turn our backs on them like The World Company did. By leaving Knology it will only lead to more layoffs.

Yea, rj1486 is clearly a Knology shill here. And too stupid to realize how easy he is to identify. Embarrassing, really. Is this how these southerners think? I wonder if these posts are coming out of corporate HQ?

Realistically, it was inevitable that Snflower would be sold, or engulfed, or gobbled up, by another company. Sunflower had a surprising monopoly on cable internet for apartment complexes and such. I was quizzical when I moved here that there were not many choices for internet and the big guys (AT&T) didn't have a big presence. I was told by my apartment complex that it was Sunflower or nothing.

To all my Sunflower Friends you must think positive. Use your 3, 6 or 12 months left to prove to them they made a wrong decision. Let them know they can't live without you. Open their eyes & change their minds!! Have faith in the man upstairs to take care of you and give you what you need. If you don't keep this job...then you are meant to do something greater.

Dave, using your perspective, we shouldn't build computers with robotic soldering machines because those machines caused downsizing. Ford should turn back from automated manufacturing advances and go back to their old Model A assembly line of human workers turning nuts by hand because otherwise fewer people in Michigan would have jobs.

Do you want to pay $10,000 for a slow laptop? If we didn't make changes in business that allow us to reduce costs, none of us could afford to buy very many things that we didn't whittle out of a log with our own hands. If we refuse to make business decisions because it'll cause job loss, we are rejecting progress. If/When a Lawrence company buys a company in another town (has that ever happened?) they "downsize" the other town's workforce. I'm sure The World Co. has let people go after purchasing other media outlets.

It's been this way since the 1920's when a Lawrence farrier had to let his apprentice go because too many of his former customers were driving cars. There is no progress without change.

Would you ask Knology to keep people employed in accounting when all their duties had been centralized in another state? It would be sensible to refuse to decentralize even though it's clearly the smart way to run an accounting department? It's "good" to pay people to come to work and play minesweeper even after their job duties have been transferred to another state?

The loss of jobs in Lawrence over these firings really sucks. There may be a trickle-down effect that causes area vendors who do business with TWC to also go under. But, I'm sure that in the big picture, the gains achieved by business efficiencies will help the consumer in the end. Don't minimize the importance of that to all the SBB customers.

This is a false analogy. The Sunflower employees aren't being replaced with more efficient systems or with robots. They are just being replaced by people doing the same jobs, but in other cities.

So what Knology is doing is not advancing progress by inventing new, more efficient ways to do business that will benefit everyone, it is simply replacing several dozen Lawrence employees with people doing the same job somewhere else.

This will hurt our local economy, not to mention the lives of the people affected.

And, unlike what you said, it's not just a couple corporate redundancies like accountants that are being replaced -- it is the technical staff, engineers, and customer service people.
I'm sure it will be way more "efficient" for Knology when your cable goes out and instead of calling someone in Lawrence who will come fix it usually the same day, you're calling Georgia or India and you'll be lucky if it's fixed in a week. Efficiency? Maybe for Knology, but not for ccustomers of Sunflower!

Whoosh! That flushing sound that you just heard is Sunflower going down the toilet. I am truly sorry for all the Sunflower employees who are being demoted or "right-sized" out of a job. I am also sorry for myself and all the other Sunflower customers who will soon see cable and internet support and service "right-sized" down to unacceptable levels, while their bills are "right-sized" upwards. The time is "right" to look for an alternative. But are there really any good ones?

After years of dealing with AT&T internet for years at work, I've always been so happy to have Sunflower at home, knowing that if I call for customer service, the call is taken right here in Lawrence and not in India or god knows where like AT&T (and routed through several "push one for this and push two for that" crap). No longer. I'm not surprised though.

If I lose sunflower as my email address, though, for knology or something else, I'll be really ticked off.

Sorry to all those laid off but I'm not surprised at that either.

I do find it interesting that this online newspaper (still owned by The World Company, along with the Marketplace, Sunflower Publishing and every other little newspaper in the area) still uses 6News video and links to 6 News as one of its "sections". Wonder how long that will last.

Sunflower Cable had great customer service and I could understand the people I spoke with. Can't say that about many (or any) other companies. They were always professional, helpful and friendly.

For the internet I use a USB device (initial cost $80. at a local tech store---can I mention the name?). It's through Virgin Mobile and uses the Sprint cell phone network. Unlimited usage for $40. a month. No contract, no extra fees, don't have to bundle uses to get the price. Unfortunately, their customer service sucks---long waits, heavy accents, impatience when you can't understand them and confusing set-up. Oh, well, it is less expensive and works well once I got it figured out.

I agree with so many of you--I loved Sunflower's customer service. It's been great for years, and if it changes, I'm out of there.

All this year, when articles were written about layoffs or possible layoffs, the LJW used the word "layoffs." When it was Cessna. When it was the schools. When it was the city.
Until now.
I hardly know what to think.

As one of the recently rightsized I think Knology has treated us pretty good. Something that has been lost in all this is that no one was terminated immediately. We all got a generous amount of time to deal with our impending unemployment. Time that can be used to decide what to do next and receive a full paycheck and benefits while we do it. I'm sure we all know someone that experienced the shock of being told, "In order to meet the business needs of the company today is your last day". Wana bet those people would much rather have heard their last day would be three months from today? Knology told us two and a half months ago that there would be changes and we would know on or before December 1 what those changes would be. This shouldn't have been a surprise to any of us.
To my rightsized coworkers I say take some time to have a little pity party, consume some adult beverages, even cry a little if you need, but on Monday come to work and keep giving your customers the same excellent service you always have. Continue to show the character that made Sunflower a great company and who knows, maybe Knology will see the error of their ways and reverse some of the rightsizing.

The employees of Sunflower Broadband are not going to get their jobs back in the foreseeable future. They are using "rightsized" to it doesn't sound so bad. Its bad however like it was stated, they are being given 3, 6, 9 or 12 months to get things in order before they are without jobs. They were also forewarned that changes were coming. Do I feel awful for them? Yes I do because I have seen what massive job losses can do to a company and what they did at mine was without warning without time to get things in order.

So, based on experience ATT customer service, I would never consider signing up with them for internet or TV. The satellite dish deal gives you fast downloads, but not fast sending of information. Are there any good alternatives to Sunflower for cable or internet? Alternatives to ATT for phone that work well?

Thank god Knology took over the cable company. The World Company is the worst. They sent me a $600 dollar internet bill for one month of service. They charge crazy fees if you go over your bandwidth limit. Now I have DSL and can download all day and night if I want to and never get charged a penny extra. Personally i've vowed to never subscribe to any World Company services or ever even buy one of their newspapers. EVER. Up with Knology, screw the World Company.